2. Both the claimants and the State are before this Court, aggrieved by the compensation awarded with respect to the land acquired for the purpose of Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Project (for short 'KMP Project').

3. The Section 4(1) Notification was issued on 13.08.2004 in respect of around 151 acres of land in four villages i.e. Badh Malik, Pritampura, Jatheri and Akabarpur Barota. The same was followed by Declaration dated 26.8.2004 under Section 6 of the Act. Dissatisfied by the Award of the Collector, the land owners filed objections, however, the Reference Court upheld the Award of the Collector. In the impugned judgment, the High Court has fixed the compensation in the following manner :- For the land abutting GT Road upto the depth of four acres Rs.35,70,000/- per acre For the land upto to the boundary of Sector 38 Rs.27,20,000/- per acre For the land from the boundary of Sector 38 upto one km. Rs.18,20,000/- per acre For remaining land Rs.12,20,000/- per acre

4. In the nature of order we propose to pass, it is not necessary to go into the various contentions except to note that, in our view, the High Court has gone wrong in placing reliance on a subsequent acquisition for which Section 4(1) Notification was issued on 17.11.2005 for Rajiv Gandhi Education City and fixing the land value for the KMP Project by 2 introducing the method of an appropriate reduction. Another error, in our opinion, is in adopting the belting system.

Being an acquisition for an Express Way passing through different parcel of land, there is no need or justification for adopting the belting system. Further, the High Court committed a mistake in introducing cuts. If the land value is to be fixed for KMP Project acquisition, the relevant factors which are to be noted are mainly the value that was prevalent in the locality prior to 13.08.2004.

5. We are informed that several documents are available for fixing the land value. We are also of the view that the High Court should bear in mind, while fixing the land value, that the road brings development and the value of the land on either side of the Highway increases and the land owners on either side of the land are also benefited by the construction of a new road. However, the High Court has also to take into consideration the reconstructions on use of the land to an extent of 200 feet on either side of the road.

6. We are also informed that certain matters pertaining to the very same acquisition have already been remitted by this Court.

7. For all the above reasons, we set aside the impugned order and remit the matters to the High Court for consideration afresh.

8. The appeals are, accordingly, disposed of.

9. We request the High Court to dispose of these cases expeditiously and preferably within a period of six months.